Electric heater for faucets



July 15 1924. 1,501,768

o. GRAETZER ET AL ELECTRIC HEATER FOR FAUCETS Filed Nov. 13, 1920 G @Qzffiififi 4 2 F- %I ll lm a 0 Z in a La 1l/////, m.mzmze 4zwm\% lR "0140) V V 1: 5 DB,

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z 5 B :'i i :s 5: g A 5 .v 4 1 M l Q f/VVENTUHS WITNESSES OTTO 69157752 0770 EBPU AN I I By A TTORNE Y5 Patented July 15, 1924.

PATENT orrlca- OTTO GRAETZER, O F'ZOLLIKON, AND OTTO I. BRUKAN, 01" ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

ELECTRIC HEATER FOB raucms.

Application filed November 13, 1920. Serial no. Lasers.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it know-n that-we, O'r'ro GRAETZER, a citizen of the German Republic, and a resident of Zollikon, Switzerland, and OTTO F. BRUMAN, a citizen of the Swiss Re ublic, and a resident of Zurich, Switzerlan have invented a new and Improved Electric Heater for Faucets, of which the following is a full,'cle ar, and exact description.

Our invention relates to improvements in electric heaters for faucets, an object of the invention bein to provide an improved electric heater an improved automatic and circuit controlling means therefor.

Heaters of this character, as heretofore made, are usually constructed so that the faucet is atthe same-time the interrupter of.- the current. .Thereby the electric current is inserted at the beginni ofthe water supply and is interrupted at to closure of the same. Arrangements of this land, however, have all kinds of inconveniences, as

for instance, the impact of current which.

takes place every time when the current is inserted, which impact ls=dlStl1Pb1l1g 1n many wa 3. Besides this, such arrange- -m ents su er under the disengagement of boiler scale whereby the electrodes deteriorate. j

Furthermore, experience has shown that part of the electric current passes through the main pipe, whereby all kinds of diflicul ties may arise.

All these draw-backs are elimmated by our invention, which consists principally in a special arrangement, with which the insert ng of the current takes place after the opemn of the faucet and where the interruption o the current takes place before the closin of the faucet, that is to say, the electric switch, which is combined with the faucet, closes the circuit after turning the handle a small amount to 0 on, and when turning the handle the ot or way (in closing) the electric current is interru ted before the faucet is entirely shut. Furt ermore, the outer one of the two concentrical electrodes is provided with small lower and larger upper openin s.

it the beginning of the water supply a continually ascending. water column starts.

At the moment of the inserting of the current the resistance of the water column. is high on account of the small section, when the column of water just begins to rise. The. -resist'ance decreases then when the column is ascending,

that, for instance, incandescent lamps will not show any sudden difference of light. At the same time there remains a water. column between the electrodes after the'current is taken oiL-which water slowly passes through the narrow bottom holes, whereby the electrodes are cooled, thus avoiding a va orizlatIOIIOf the contents and, consequent g the formation of boiler scale. The latter ms, as 1s well-known, a considerable electric re,- slstanoe to the electric current, which reit. The emptying of the space between the electrodes has another great advantage,

which consists in the fact, that the current 1s cut down automatically, when the water is turned off; thus without doing age to the apparatus.

Finally, there is, according t1on, mserted an intermediate insulating fitting between the faucet, casing and the proved heater located therewithin; and

7 whereby the section is risingtoiits normal value. The impact of current. .1s 1n the way reduced to such an extent duces its action and the heat generated by T any damto the inven;

F1gure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

A represents the body of.- the faucet, B the outer electrode, and C the inner electrode, both enclosed in the body A. The electrode B is in the form of a hollow or cup-shaped receptacle having, as disposed in the arrangement shown, a closed lower end and an upper end which is closed'by a disk Bv which is of insulating material. This disk B7 surrounds the electrode C and serves to support and space the electrode B from the electrode G. The electrode 0 serves at the same time as water su ply pipe controlled by a needle valve D which is re ated by the spindle F and the handle G, t us giving a tight joint against the water pressure. The valve spindle is fitted with a contact segment H which carries the current from the system I in such a way that the current coming from the positive pole enters the valve spindle through the contact segment ternal electrode B. 'As soon as there is water be twee'n the electrodes, the current passes through it and heats the water as an el ectric resistance.

The outer electrode B has one or more lower holes, comparatively small so that when the handle'G is only a little'b it opened, the water begins to between the electrodes .B and C; Almost'the whole. amount ofwater thenleaves the space through the large holes L, taking along with it, in the case for instance-of very hot water, the air and steam bubbles, whereby the space is always'completely filled Withfluid. The hot water then flows along the outer electrode downwardand mixes itself with thewater' coming through the'holes'M. Finally. it leaves the casing hat the exit opening N.

Betweenthe body of the faucet and the waterpipes there situated the insulating P P K. The operation, of this-invention is now ,j as

follows: The'water contained in the pipe is shut 05 by the needle valve D, while the remainder of water from the foregoing use of the faucet has flown out through the openings M." The space between the two elec-' F islifted on account or the screw, 0.

.ply is trodes is therefore'empty. The current supalso cut of because of the contact segment H whichgmakes contact only after turning the spindleF a little. When turning the handle G to some extent the spindle needle valve is therefore opened and the wa-' tween the two electrodes.-

handle G farther thecurrent=-1s turned on through the contact segment and'the current ter enters through the inner electrode G intosame and the outer the space between the electrode 'B.. Owing to the small size of the lower holes only a verysmall part of the water canflow outlthe greater part 'ofit forms a continually rislng water columnbe By turnlng the now finds its passage from-one electrode to the other. At first the 'section'is small, the resistance great, but. as-theicolumn rises, the section is enlarged, the resistance decreases,

the current therefore. increases finally toits I normal value.

the e ectric current through it.

:In thiswaywe have an arrangement similar-to the starting reslstance of an electric motor which enables us to use I the faucet in lighting circuits, every current shock being nearly avoid After'usmg the; faucet, the handle G 15 7 closed-whereby the current first is taken ofi by the contact segment H before the needle valve is closed. Therefore, there is yet a column of water between the two electrodes B and C. The remainder now flows through the 0 enings-M out without the passage 0 The electrodes have thus the opportunity to cool ed and "thus the formation of boiler scale is avoided;

The

How of water therefrom.

f needle valve to the second electrode,

neon-res the fau'cetand the water jet. coming from it.

What we claim as new is:

1. An electrical water heating device which comprises a cup-shaped electrode, a second electrode extending thereinto, and means 'onthe cup-shaped electrode whereby the flow of water therefrom varies in accordance withthe level of the water therewithin.

2. An electrical water heater which comprises a hollow'electrodehaving a plurality of difierent-sized apertures therein at different levels, so that the flow of water therefrom will varyin accordance with the level thereof.

3. An electrical water prises a cup-shaped electrode, a second electrode extending thereinto' and spaced therefrom, means for in'sulatingly supporting the first electrode from the second, said means serving as a closure from the end of the cupshape'd electrode, means for introducing water between said electrodes, and means 'on the first electrode to permit a variable out- 4. An electrical water heater which comheater which comprises a hollow electrode having a closed bottom, said electrode having a. plurality of small apertures near its bottom and a plurality of larger apertures near its top, so

thatthe flow of water therefrom at different levels will vary.

p 5; in an electrical water heater, the combination oi-a cu :shaped electrode having a plurality'of sma l apertures near its bottom and a plurality of larger apertures near its top, a' second hollow electrode extending into the first electrodes saidsecond electrode acting as a pipeto; conriey water within the first electrode, an insulating disk closing the end of'the first electrode and supporting it from the'second electrode, said dis vembracing' the second electrode, a needle 'valve insaid second electrode to control the flow of water. therethrough, a circuit contact on the needle valve, a circuit segment associated with the needle valve and adapted-when the valvefis moved to engage with the contact whereby current is transierred'through the and electrical wires connected respectively to the seg mentand to the first electrode.

- U0 GRAETZER. OTTO F. ER is a) 

